Heat controlled closure for receptacles



March 5, 1935. H. D. FLEGEL HEAT CONTROLLED CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES Filed Sept. 20, 1955 Il EL- Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE.

HEAT CONTROLLED CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES- Harrison D'. Flegel, Racine, Wis. Application September 20; 1933, Serial No. 690,197- 3 Claims. (01. 220-88.)

This invention relates to improvements in heat controlled closures for receptacles.

Vats, tanks, receptacles and the like are provided for-the cleaning of garments and fabrics andin such arrangementsthematerial to be cleaned is immersed in a fluid contained by the receptacle. The fluid used is, as a rule, combustible,- and this presents a serious hazard.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a combustible fluid holding receptacle having a hinged cover and mechanism in connection therewith for automatically closing the cover upon the generation of heat within the container, the automatic closing of the cover serving to smother flames caused by unexpected combustion of the fluid, or to keep the fire under control, thereby overcoming the fire hazard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container having a hingedly mounted cover and heat controlled trigger means" for automatically snapping the coverfrom its open position to its closed position.

A further obj set of the inven- -"on is to provide a heat controlled closure for receptacles wherein the cover or closure may be hingedly moved to and from its closed position independently of the heat controlled automatic mechanism for closing the cover.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heat controlled closure mechanism for receptacles which can be installed on a receptacle with a minimum amount of expense and work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heat controlled closure for receptacles which is of very simple. construction, is strong and durable, is elii'cient and automatic in opera.- tion, and is well adapted for the-purposes.- set forth. a

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved; heat controlled closure. for receptacles, andv its. parts and combinations as set forth. the. claims, and. all equivalents thereof.

In the. accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate; the same parts in all. of the views: 1

Fig. 1 is a side view of a receptacle equipped with the improved heat controlled closure, the closure. being shown. in open position with a broken line showing of the closed position of the same and the trigger;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the receptacle closure and heat actuated mechanism therefor;

Fig; 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 only showing the position of the parts when the mechanism has been actuated and the closure is in closing position;

Fig. 4 is a face view of the thermostatic controi means taken on. line 4-4 of Fig- 2;

Fig. 5- isa view, partly in section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2';

a Fig. 6 is. a fragmentary rear view of the receptacle, closure and trigger mechanism; and

Fig. '7 is. a fragmentary sectional; view illustrating a modified form of control mechanism for a. receptacle closure.

Referring now more particularly to the. drawing it will appear that the numeral 10 indicates a receptacle. of any convenient size and iorni and having an open upper end portion adapted to. be. closed by a hingedly mounted cover or lid. 11.. r

The hinged mounting-for the lid comprises a pair'of spaced-apart. brackets 12 secured to an upper, outer portion of the receptacle and forming: supports for the end portions of a fixedrod or pintle 13:. The lid. has secured thereto. an outwardly projecting. plate 14 and outer portions of. said plate are formed as down-turned, apertured cars, 15 through which the p-intle 13 extends, whereby the: cover is pivotally mounted on saiclpintle. v

For the purpose of snapping the cover from its; open position (in. full lines in Figs. 1 and 2) to. its; closed position (in broken lines in Fig. 1)

a trigger mechanism is provided- The trigger 16 consists of a lever formed with an. inwardly projecting ear 1'?- intermediate its ends, through which the pintle 13" passes. Thus, the trigger lever is pivotally' mounted on. said pintle. The inner face. of one end: portion of the trigger is flat and is adapted to bear'against a portion of the cover or The other end portion 18' of themtrigger lever is: angled and is. adapted to engage in the shouldered recess; 19' of. a pivotally mounted bellcrank lever 20;. this: being the normal arrangement of the parts: to hold the. trig.-

ger lever in substantially vertical position. adj a.- cent. the opened cover or lid. There is coiled about. the medial portionv of the pintle 13' a spring 21 having itsopposite ends. made. fast,

its intermediate portion yieldingly engages the trigger lever 16. to urge itin a. clockwise direction, with respect to Fig. 2. Pivotal movement of the bell-crank lever 20 in a counterclockwise direction, with reference to Figs. 2 and 3, is yieldingly restrained by a spring 22 engaging the upper arm of said lever 20.

Within the upper portion of the receptacle 9. thermostatic device 23 is mounted on a frame or strap 24, adjacent the bell-crank lever 20. Said thermostatic device comprises a pair of juxta-positioned, thin-walled hollow discs having a heat responsive fluid sealed. therein. The inner end of a push rod 25 is secured to a portion of a flexible wall 26 or" the thermostatic device and said push rod extends slidably through a bushing 27 formed in the receptacle wall. The outer end of said push rod terminates exteriorly of the receptacle adjacent the upper arm of the bell-crank lever 20.

Normally the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 2. The thermostatic device is contracted and the push rod 25 is in an inner position enabling the spring 22 to maintain the bell-crank lever 20 so that its lower arm is substantially horizontally disposed, The trigger lever 16 is held, against the force exerted by the spring 21, in a substantially vertical position with its lower end engaged with the shouldered recess 19 of the bell-crank lever. The lid or cover 11 is free to be pivotally moved to and from closed position on the'pintle 13.

If, for instance, the receptacle is to be used for the cleaning of fabrics or garments, it is partially filled with a cleaning fluid which is usually highly combustible. The fabrics to be cleaned are disposed in the fluid in the receptacle and the cover or lid will prabably be in open position, during most ofthe operations, resting against the inner face of the upper portion of the trigger lever 16.

If the fluid in the receptacle should become ignited through any cause, heat will immediately be generated within the receptacle and the heat will influence the fluid in thethermostatic device to cause it to expand and flex the wall 26 outwardly. This outward flexing of the wall will force the push rod 25 outwardly and its outer end will push against and move the bellcranl: lever 20 sufliciently to cause its shouldered end to release the lower end of the trigger lever 16. With the release of the trigger lever th spring 21 will cause it to turn on the pintle l3 and quickly push the cover or lidto closing position, as in Fig. 3, whereupon the fire within the receptacle will be smothered or kept under control.

After the temperature of the interior of the receptacle has cooled to normal, thedevice may be re-set, for the thermostatic member will have contracted and the push rod will have moved inwardly, permitting the return of the bellcrank lever to normal position. It is then only necessary to manually move the trigger lever to vertical position and engage its lower end with the bell-crank lever.

A slight modification of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 7. Within the receptacle 10 there are secured a pair of duplicate right angular arms 38 arranged with a space between the same. A lever 31 extends through a slot 32 in the receptacle wall and said lever is pivotally mounted on an outer bracket 33. The inner end portion of said lever, within the receptacle, extends movably between the spaced horizontal arms of the members 30. A spring 34, connected to the receptacle and to the outer end of the lever 31, tends to pull the outer end of said 1ever upwardly which would lower the inner end of said lever, but movement of the inner end of said lever is prevented by a thin strip 35 of celluloid, mica, or other readily combustible or fusible material, which spans the upper faces of the outer ends of the arms 30 and is engaged by the inner end portion of the lever 31. Pivotally mounted on a pintle 13 mounted in an extension bracket 12' is the'projecting end portion of a plate 14 carrying the cover or lid 11 for the receptacle 10. The opposite end of said plate 14' is hooked, as at 36, and normally engages the down-turned end 37 of the lever 31, whereby the cover 11 is held in open position, as shown. If undue heat is generated, or flames occur within the receptacle, the thin strip 35 will be fused or burned and the obstruction between the arms 30 will be overcome, permitting the spring 34 to pivotally turn the lever 31. This movement of the lever will disengage the end 37 of the lever from the hooked end 36 of the plate 14, whereupon a spring 21, coiled about the pintle and engaging the plate 14 will snap the plate toward horizontal position and move the cover to closing position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved heat controlled closure for receptacles is both simple and novel, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In combination, an open receptacle, a cover exteriorly of the receptacle and hingedly connected to an exterior portion of the receptacle, a spring. actuated lever against which the cover rests in its open position, trip mechanism releasably engaging said lever and holding it stationary against the spring tension, and thermostatic means for actuating said trip mechanism to cause it to releasethe lever whereby spring tension will move said lever to cause it to snap the cover through a ninety degree are to its closing position.

2. The combination with an open receptacle, of a cover hingedly connected to said receptacle, a pivotally mounted lever freely engaged by said cover in its open position, a spring connected to the lever to urge movement of the same in one direction, a trip member releasably engaging said lever to hold it stationary against the force of said spring, and heat influenced means within the receptacle for operating said trip member tocause it to release the lever.

3. In combination, an open receptacle, a cover therefor movably connected to the receptacle exteriorly thereof, a spring actuated lever engaging the cover when the latter, is in its open position, trip mechanism releasably engaging said lever and holding it stationary against the spring tension, and thermostatic means for actuating said trip mechanism to cause it to release the lever whereby spring tension will move said lever to cause it to snap the cover to its closing position, the cover being free to be manually moved to and from its closing position when the lever is engaged by the trip mechanism without affecting the positions of the lever and trip mechanism.

HARRISON D. FLEGEL. 

